Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking/Western Animation/The Simpsons
There were so many examples from the Simpsons; an entire page was required to cover it. For example, Bart Simpson is among the known examples of these since he vandalized property like writing his name on the school’s lawns, shoot down a satellite, faked a wedding that got him locked up, and is a bad speller.
- The "Hell Toupee" segment of The Simpsons "Treehouse of Horror IX." Snake is going to the chair for the "three-strikes rule". His first offense was torching an orphanage and his second offense was blowing up a bus full of nuns (though he claims the latter was in self-defense), while his third offense was smoking in a public building.
- Also in "Last Exit to Springfield", Burns calls Homer, who is now the president of the plant's union, the Brotherhood of Pastry Chefs, Jazz Dancers, and Nuclear Technicians (itself an example of the trope), up to his mansion, and gives him a tour of increasingly luxurious rooms, and ends in the basement, which just has a ping-pong table and a leaky pipe. "I really should start ending the tour somewhere else".
- And don't forget the priceless quote in "Missionary Impossible," in which Homer's 10 year performance record lists him as having caused 17 meltdowns (One is too many!), selling weapons-grade plutonium to the Iraqis (with no markup!), and worst of all, taking the Hamburgler's birthday off "Last Monday AND Wednesday" (which is it?!)
- It also happened in a story book episode about Joan of Arc, where the court proceding goes something like this:
 |
Reverend Lovejoy: Joan of Arc, you have been charged with heresy, witchcraft, and that man says you pushed him. |
 |
- In "Treehouse of Horror V", the lodge where the first segment takes place, as described by Burns, was built on an Indian burial ground, was the site of Satanic rituals, witch burnings, and five John Denver Christmas specials.
|
Homer: (Shudders) John Denver... |
|
- In "Treehouse of Horror VI", after the advertizing mascots run amok:
|
Marge: These monsters are destroying everything and everyone we hold dear! And you kids should have jackets on. |
|
- In "Treehouse of Horror III" after a robot Mr. Burns made doesn't work he kicks it in frustration and it falls on him. From underneath, he gasps:
|
Mr. Burns: Every bone...shattered...organs...leaking vital fluids...slight headache...loss of appetite...Smithers, I think I'm dying. |
|
- "Treehouse of Horror XVII", when Bart gets ahold of a Golem that wigs out about all the evil deeds its been ordered to do:
|
Golem: I feel so guilty. I've mangled and maimed thirty-seven people and I told a telemarketer I was busy when I wasn't! I'm not a good man! |
|
- Chief Wiggum pulls Homer over for reckless driving in traffic. Wiggum asks him, "Where's the fire?", and Homer points to the police station, which is actually ablaze. Wiggum arrests him for "pointing out police stupidity".
- On season six's "Homer the Clown," Homer lists off three reasons why being a clown sucks: "You get kicked by kids, bit by dogs, and admired by the elderly."
- From the same episode:
|
Krusty: OK, memorize these funny place names: Walla Walla. Keokuk. Cucamonga. Seattle -- |
|
- "Treehouse of Horror IV" had a Jury of the Damned composed of various infamous criminals (including Richard Nixon, who, at the time of the episode, was alive [which was lampshaded], though he calls Satan, "Master," implying that Nixon sold his soul to be U.S. President -- or, at the very least, not be impeached for the Watergate scandal. It wouldn't be until Nixon's actual death months after the episode's premiere that the joke would be funnier than intended), including the starting lineup of the 1976 Philadelphia Flyers. (Most if not all of whom were probably alive at the time, as well. One of the roughest teams in hockey history, but still!)
- Fridge Brilliance: John Wilkes Booth killed one man in his entire life, while the infamous Broad Street Bullies cracked dozens if not hundreds of skulls between them, though the one man Wilkes Booth killed was an important figure in U.S. history, so that makes Wilkes Booth and the 1976 Philadelphia Flyers even.
- Possibly also invoked in the episode "The Crepes of Wrath", when Bart describes being abused at the hands of two crooked winemakers to a French policeman (after discovering that he knows how to speak French), and the policeman doesn't seem shocked until Bart mentions them putting antifreeze in the wine. Then Bart adds that they gave his hat to the donkey.
- Though the policeman is arguably justified in being most concerned about a potential mass poisoning. That, and he's also justified in thinking Bart was lying (can you imagine how many kids go to the police and say "my parents are super mean"?) until he mentioned the antifreeze, something no kid not actually kept in that environment would know people actually do. Essentially, with those things in mind it doesn't work as a joke, like, at all.
- Also, kind of, in "Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song"; Chalmers lets Flanders get away with a school-run riot, unruly kids, etc... then he hears Flanders' announcement:
|
Chalmers: Thank the Lord? Thank the Lord?!? That sounded like a prayer. A prayer. A prayer in a public school! God has no place within these walls! Just like facts have no place within organized religion! |
|
- Reasons other characters get mad at Burns in "Who Shot Mr. Burns?":
|
Moe: I LOST MY BAR! |
|
- Also from the same episode:
|
Smithers: (after Burns reveals his sunblocking plan) But, sir, every plant and tree will die! Owls will deafen us with incessant hooting! The town's sundial will be useless! |
|
- Abe: Because of him, I lost my room, my things, and my buddy's collection of old sunbathing magazines...
|
Old Jewish Man: You Bastard! |
|
- In "Bart Gets An Elephant", Lisa asks the person buying the eponymous elephant if he's an ivory dealer, with the reply "Well, little girl, I've had lots of jobs in my day: whale-hunter, seal-clubber, president of the Fox network..."
- They make do that sort of thing (jokes about Fox) a lot. Rupert Murdoch was even in one episode, with the Imperial March as he entered, and apparently he's a powerful dark sorcerer...
- When Homer gets selected to replace Smithers while he's on vacation, he gets explained that his role will involve "Filing Mister Burns' tax forms, lying to congress, and some light typing."
- One assuming that lying will be involved with filing the tax form too.
- In "I'm Spelling As Fast As I Can", Lisa is offered a scholarship to the Seven Sisters college of her choice... "and a hot plate!" if she throws the Spellympics.
- When Bart tells Krusty the horrors of his camp all three sound awful, but he admits the third one actually wasn't as bad as he described:
|
Bart: This camp was a nightmare! They fed us gruel, they forced us to make wallets for export, and one of the campers was eaten by a bear! |
|
- When various Springfield residents act as substitute teachers at school in "The PTA Disbands":
|
Jasper: Talkin' outta turn? That's a paddlin'. Lookin' out the window? That's a paddlin'. Starin' at my sandals? That's a paddlin'. Paddlin' the school canoe? Oh, you better believe that's a paddlin'. |
|
- In "Fear of Flying", after Moe gets bitten by a venomous cobra Lenny hid in his register and has his apron set on fire by Barney, Homer slightly unscrews the sugar so Moe spills it:
|
Barney: Oh, jeez. |
|
- In "Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy", Petrochem Petrochemical Corporation is known as the "proud makers of caustic polypropylene and Malibu Stacy."
- In "At Long Last Leave", the citizens of Springfield detail their reasons for wanting the Simpsons banished from town - Homer's drunken shenanigans, Bart's pranks (which cost the city millions of dollars), Lisa's nagging environmental concerns, and.. Maggie not crying once.
- Treehouse of Horror VIII - Easy-Bake Coven, which was set in 1649
|
1649 Marge: That's right, I'm a witch! I'm the one who whithered your livestock, soured your sheep's milk, and made your shirt itchy! |
|
- In the "Treehouse of Horror II" story based on The Monkey's Paw, the Simpson's wishes result in people hating them, aliens enslaving the earth and a turkey sandwich that is a little bit dry (which, incidentally, is the only one that makes homer curse the paw).